high tree. From this height he could look all HOP-o-my-
around, and he perceived a light in the distance. THUMB
He took notice in which direction it lay, descended
to the ground, and led his brothers in the way that
led to it. However, it was long before they could
see the light as they trudged along, and they were
beginning to despair, when they came suddenly
on it, and found that it proceeded from a large
house on the outskirts of the wood.
They knocked at the door at once, and it was
opened by a good-natured-looking woman, who
asked what they wanted. Hop-o’-my-Thumb told
her that they were poor children who had lost
their way in the forest, and begged that she would
take pity on them and give them a night’s lodging.
The good woman, seeing these seven poor little
babes, with their long hair wet and draggled,
hanging round their sweet faces, and their soft
imploring eyes, wept for pity, and answered—
‘Ah, my poor darlings! You do not know whither
you arecome! This is the house of an ogre, who
eats little children.’
‘Alas, madam!’ said Hop-o’-my-Thumb, ‘what
shall we do? If you do not give us a night’s
shelter the wolves will devour us, and sooner than
that we should prefer to be eaten by the ogre.
But, perhaps, he will have pity upon us, and spare
our lives at your entreaty.’
The ogre’s wife, who hoped that she might be able
to hide them from her husband till the next day,
yielded to the children’s entreaties, and let them
in. She told them to sit down and warm them-
selves by the fire, which was large enough to roast
a whole sheep for the ogre’s supper.
Now she was the giant’s second wife; he had killed
her father and mother, and had carried her off,
against her will.
Just as they were beginning to get warm they
heard a loud knocking at the door.

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